Big round hole.

Michael N. · Sep 8, 2011

Sometimes you just have to visit the past. I have acquired a few cutters that are much fancier than this. I don't think any of them work quite as good. All at a cost of £0.20p, 23 EU.Cents or 35 US cents!

None of the fiddling around trying to set it either. They are cheap, quick and easy enough to make them in numbers with varying diameters.

new wave ukulele · Sep 8, 2011

that's how I do it...

UkeforJC · Sep 8, 2011

have you use this tool to cut harder wood, like koa?

Doc_J · Sep 8, 2011

Thanks! I am planning on doing some building and was wondering about a low-cost effective way of cutting a sound hole. Your method looks like the answer.

Michael N. said:
Sometimes you just have to visit the past. I have acquired a few cutters that are much fancier than this. I don't think any of them work quite as good. All at a cost of £0.20p, 23 EU.Cents or 35 US cents!

None of the fiddling around trying to set it either. They are cheap, quick and easy enough to make them in numbers with varying diameters.

Michael N. · Sep 8, 2011

No I haven't but it will still work. You will have to use a different, more time consuming technique. When I cut the rebate for Bindings on hardwood I use a purfling cutter (Gamil). It's simply not possible to plunge right through with this type of cutter. You have to score and then cut away some of the waste before scoring again. With the Spruce I cut from both sides of the soundboard, meeting somewhere in the middle. You will have to use a similar method with the Koa, except that it will be necessary to cut the waste with a chisel. You don't really need the circle cutter once the initial score is done. You can freehand it with a blade in a Scalpel holder, that will follow the scored line.

Michael N. · Sep 8, 2011

Not my method Doc J. It's in the Cumpiano Guitar construction book. No doubt someone thought of it before him - but that's a guess on my part.
I knew about the method probably 15 years ago. I ignored it and went for the more technical route of adjustable circle cutters. I have 3 of them. The 'popsicle stick' is the simplest, the fastest and the most elegant solution.

new wave ukulele · Sep 8, 2011

UkeforJC said:
have you use this tool to cut harder wood, like koa?

I've done figured maple and koa without problems. the only hangup is that where the grain runs tangent with the cutter, the blade tends to follow the grain and leave a flat spot in the sound hole.

Rick Turner · Sep 8, 2011

You can resharpen Xacto blades so the bevel is on one side of the blade only so as to maintain a sharper edge in the wood. You can sharpen for cutting inside or outside lines.

henderson is go · Sep 8, 2011

I use a similar system, but mine is slightly more hightech... notice the handle on the x acto knife

Michael N. · Sep 8, 2011

That's cheating. Not only that but that hole is way too big, as it's for an OM style Geetar. Not allowed.
The Nail is a good idea though. That gets you a few hundred points. Unfortunately I have to deduct a few hundred because of that fancy German Chisel.

Sven · Sep 11, 2011

Thanks for reminding me of this! I never believed it would work so I've never tried it. Until yesterday, when I did it on an assembled body. Worked great! I'll stop looking for jigs for my router now.

UkeforJC · Sep 12, 2011

Thank you Michael and many many of you who post in this thread.
I was planing to cut my very first round sound hole, but was hesitating whether I should use a router or my dremel.
But after I read this thread and learned from you all, I tried this method.
It worked so nicely. I like it.
I am too excited and couldn't help to share my result with you.

I cut an 1.125" radius hole on a bearclaw spruce top

Sven · Sep 12, 2011

Cool! Wasn't it a great feeling when the disc popped out. Nice bearclaw as well!

ukulian · Sep 12, 2011

Find an old hacksaw blade. The type that used to snap, not the bi-metal modern ones. Break it in half and grind each half to a point and bevel alternate edges to make a pair (left and right, or inside and outside edges) Fashion handles to suit and use the resulting knives for this and other inlaying operations. These blades are twice as strong as craft knife blades and keep an edge far longer.

Big round hole.

Michael N.

Well-known member

new wave ukulele

Well-known member

UkeforJC

Well-known member

Doc_J

Well-known member

Michael N.

Well-known member

Michael N.

Well-known member

new wave ukulele

Well-known member

Rick Turner

Well-known member

henderson is go

Active member

Michael N.

Well-known member

Sven

Well-known member

UkeforJC

Well-known member

Sven

Well-known member

ukulian

Well-known member

Similar threads